Cup holder



F. M. HARD CUF HOLDER Filed July 11, 1957 April 19, 1960 INVENTOR. l'lHana.

United States Patent CUP HOLDER Florence M. Hard, Caro, Mich.Application July 11, 1957, Serial No. 671,366

1 Claim. (Cl. 248-350) This invention relates to cup holders and thelike for use by young children learning to drink milk and liquids of allkinds.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to design a very Simple,practical and attractive holder for supporting and holding a cup, mug orsimilar receptacle to prevent tipping and accidental spillage of milk orother liquids when the holder is placed on a table or other supportbefore the child.

Another object of the invention is to provide a very simple andinexpensive cup support that holds a cup or other receptacle inposition, andprovides means engageable with the sidewalls of the cup orreceptacle to prevent excessive, sharp tilting of the cup when contactedby a young child waving its arms, or a spoon or other object held in itshands.

Another object is to provide a unique cup support which yieldably gripsthe table or other support on which it is mounted to prevent it beingpushed or pulled out of position by the child.

A further object is to provide a cup support which can be readilymanufactured and assembled, which is ornamental in design to attract andhold the attention of the child, and which can be mass produced with theconsequent savings resulting therefrom.

A further object still is to provide a cup holder for use,

by young children which can be yieldably secured to a table or othersupport, and in which the cup cannot he accidentally overturned ortilted sufiiciently to spill the contents therefrom.

my cup support with a cup in position thereon.

Fig. 2 is a side elevaticnal view thereof, the base being 1 shown insection.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the holder. Referring now more particularlyto the drawing in which is shown the preferred embodiment of myinvention. The letter B indicates a preferably molded base preferablyformed of rubber or other resilient material, the bottom face of thebase being concave as at 6 to provide a flat circular rim section 7which, when pressure 6 is exerted on the face of the base, expel the airtherefrom, causing it to function similar to the conventional suctioncup and adhere firmly to the surface of the table or other support (notshown) on which it is mounted.

In the present illustration the base is shown as circularly in outline 1but it would be readily understood that it can be of any other desiredshape or size to suit the manufacturer and the trade.

The edge of the base is slightly angled as at 8 and is shouldered as at9 to form a lower rim 10 which is somewhat ornamental and also providesfor greater flexibility when anchoring the base on a smooth surface suchas a table (not shown).

A cup shaped depression 11 is provided in the upper face of the base Band is of a diameter sufficient to accommodate a cup C or otherreceptacle, such as a mug or the like (not shown).

A manikin M is provided on the face of the base B, the legs 12 of whichare secured thereto in any approved manner, this manikin also beingformed of a resilient material so that it is yieldable on the base, thearms 13 being outspread so as to contact the side of the cup C or otherreceptacle, said manikin being formed and decoratively painted so as tobe attractive to young children learning to drink milk from a cup ormug, and it will be noted that when the cup is in position on the base,the upper edge or lip of the cup bears lightly against the chest of themanikin, the lower edge of the cup being held in the depression 11 andthe arms 13 yieldably limit any sidewise tilting or tipping of the cup.

A child learning to drink, is attracted, due to his or her familiaritywith toys, by the manikin and is always anxious to have the cup removedor placed in position between the outspread arms with the manikinoverhanging and seeming to look into the cup.

In normal practice the childs mother or the child, grasps the cup handle14, raises the cup upwardly and inwardly so that it clears the base andarms, and it is then placed to the childs mouth for drinking, afterwhich the cup is again returned to the holder by placing it between theoutspread arms and lowering it into the depression 11, and if the childshould swing its arms and accidentally strike the cup or manikin, theywould yield slightly, but not sufficiently to overturn the cup and spillthe milk or liquid, nor will either be in any manner marred. The suctionbase will. of course prevent displacement of the assembly.

From the foregoing description it will be clearly obvious that I haveperfected a very simple, practical and ornamental cup support and holderfor use when teaching young children to drink.

What I claim is:

A cup support of the character described comprising;

a circular suction base formed with an ofi-center de- 899,290 BrickerSept. 22, 1908 :1,464,652 Green Aug. 14, 1923 1,753,611 Lower Apr. 8,1930 2,784,578 Southwick Mar. 12, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Great BritainOct. 15, 1931

